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Fairtrade’s 20th anniversary fortnight has been bananas

FROM supporting a Corporate Walking Football Festival to a 20th anniversary picture display, Fairtrade Fortnight has been full of initiatives locally to increase awareness of Fairtrade products.

Founder of Fairtrade Guernsey steering group Steve Mauger BEM with the group’s secretary Hannah Davis. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 34962569)
Founder of Fairtrade Guernsey steering group Steve Mauger BEM with the group’s secretary Hannah Davis. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 34962569) / Guernsey Press

It finished yesterday, having shone a spotlight on the critical need for fair pay for producers of food and drink and other products in developing nations.

‘This year’s theme was pushing for fair pay, reminding people of the incredible hard work that goes into Fairtrade products and that farmers need to be recompensed fairly,’ said Hannah Davis from Fairtrade Guernsey.

To start this year’s event Fairtrade donated footballs to the Guernsey Walking Football Club for the Corporate Walking Football Tournament held at KGV.

‘It’s great for us to reach a different audience and remind people that things like footballs and cotton can be Fairtrade, and it’s not just bananas and coffee,’ said Ms Davis.

The photo display at Guille-Alles Library and Beau Sejour featured 20 photos over 20 years of Fairtrade in the island. Also a schools competition saw students submit pictures they believed represented fairness.

To mark the end of the fortnight a stall in Market Square sold products and raffle tickets with prizes including a Fairtrade football signed by Guernsey FC players, games, including banana-stacking.

‘The games are very popular with the children,’ said Ms Davis.

‘It’s been a busy fortnight – we kicked off early with the football tournament. It’s all gone really well.’

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